Only a few short months after the last 'Star Wars' movie was in cinemas, and being the big Star Wars fan that I am, I enjoyed a midnight screening of the film. I wouldn't say it was the best film in the series nor would I say it was the worst either. It's more of something safely in the middle. Not great, not bad, but just good. Which isn't bad considering all the troubles behind the scenes it went through - a change in director, extensive re-shoots etc.

Along with the main heist story, we do see some of the origins of events in the life of Han Solo, like meeting Chewbacca for the first time, the Kessel Run, and how he won the Millenium Falcon from Lando. So if you've ever wanted to know the past of your favourite scruffy looking nerfherder in the new canon era, then your questions will be answered.

I liked Alden Ehrenreich as a younger Han. Much like Ewan McGregor did of Obi Wan in the prequels or even River Phoenix / Sean Patrick Flanery as a young Indiana Jones (which is probably a better comparison), he didn't have to do an impersonation of the original iconic character, but got the swagger and personality right, and it worked for me, a very believable incarnation of an iconic character. Same goes for Donald Glover as his Lando Calrissian was spot on. For the other characters, Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett, Emilia Clarke as Qi'Ra, Paul Bettany as Dryden Voss, Thandie Newton as Val and Jon Favreau as Rio were all good as well. But I didn't like L3-37. Just something about the character was off putting and jarring, taking me out of the movie. Maybe it should've have been better to cast the character as a human or an alien instead of another sassy droid. I much preferred the way she was written and portrayed in the Han and Lando book, 'Last Shot' by Daniel José Older.

'Solo' felt a lot like 'Firefly' or 'Serenity' than a 'Star Wars' movie to me, which is certainly no bad thing at all as I loved that series/movie, and saw similar beats throughout 'Solo'. As a result it made for something a bit more refreshing in a way, going in a different direction than the Skywalker Saga movies. Something that was still familiar enough and feeling part of the same 'Star Wars' universe, but at the same time something completely different and separate as well.

I'm a big fan of the expanded canon universe of 'Star Wars, and enjoy the books, comics and the animated series. I love the different stories set in the universe with the different characters and settings, it's why I love 'Star Wars' so much, but for casual fans that only know the movies and not the other canon material, the end reveal might be confusing. As good as it was to see the character, it felt a bit forced and shoehorned in to me. The big bad could easily have been someone else instead of who it was, someone like a Prince Xizor from the 'Shadows Of The Empire' would have been cool, or maybe not even having anyone in that role at all. But I did like the reveal of Enfys Nest and their motivations though, and would like to see more of their escapades and who they became and what happened to them. The ending appeared to be open ended as well, leaving the opportunity for the possibility of a return for further adventures.

Overall, I thought it was a bit of a Goldilocks movie, it was good and worth going to see for sure, but it only does enough to be just right and nothing more. Just don't go in expecting to be amazed and you'll have a good time.

18" x 24" screen print on 270gsm Mohawk Superfine Ultrawhite paper, in a numbered UK Variant edition of 60 for £45 through Black Dragon Press, and a numbered US Variant edition of 60 for $60 through Mondo.

Amani Al'Hiza, aka the Blue Eyed Bandit, and the band of rebels, or what's left of them after the events of the previous book, 'Traitor To The Throne', must travel to the mythical city of Eremot to rescue the Rebel Prince Ahmed and the other rebels imprisoned there, and then rally against the brutal Sultan of Miraji in order to take back the city of Izman and unite the country.

If you're unfamiliar with the world of "Rebel Of The Sands', think of it as the Wild West meets the Arabian Nights, which to be honest, was a major attraction for me. I liked the mix of both cultures in this world, bringing some of the gunslinger action as well as the Middle Eastern magic and mysticism, although this book is more magic and mystical than western than the previous books. With the characters having to deal with issues like religious customs and traditions clashing with progression and modernising, it made for an expansive and more believable world, which I enjoyed revisiting again.

It was good to go back to the main characters of the series again, and by the end, see just how much they had changed over the course of the books. I felt that Amani had changed the most over the trilogy of books; from the selfish, confident swagger when we first meet her in the first book, to what she's become now after the shattering events of the second book, someone who has to overcome her self doubts and needs to believe in herself and those around her a bit more. Considering what she had to go through throughout the books, the events would definitely change a person. It was also interesting to see how she coped with the changes in herself as well as in everybody and everything around her.

'Hero At The Fall' by Alwyn Hamilton is a solid story, full of action and adventure in the desert sands. It does hit some of the familiar YA beats along the way too, making some parts predictable at times, but despite that, there was enough twists and turns to keep me invested in the story and characters until the last page.

It's a good series too, and after the dip in pace of the second book, when Amani was captive in the Sultan's harem, it was back up to speed again as it raced to the conclusion.

24" x 18" screen print, in a signed and numbered Regular edition of 75 for $50, a signed and numbered 'Aged' Variant edition of 30 for $60, and a signed and numbered 'Wood' Variant edition of 10 for $150.

If you liked the first movie then you'll more than likely have the same fondness for the sequel. It does what any sequel should do, take the original, build on what came before, and then give you that bit more. The beginning may follow a similar path to the original, as we once again catch up to the storyline, but you certainly get more, as they turn it all up to 11! There's more action, more humour, more violence, more profanity and definitely more meta. It's definitely rated R for a reason!

The familiar are back, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Colossus, Weasel, Blind Al and Dopinder all return. And Josh Brolin's Cable and Zazie Beetz' Domino are great additions to the cast too.

There's some cool cameos, the usual plethora of meta pop culture references and Easter eggs scattered throughout. which are always fun to spot! I didn't find them tiresome or that they diluted the laughs or slowed the pacing of the film. They just seemed about right for me.

But for all the violence and humour, and there is a lot, it's also a surprisingly emotional movie, with theme being 'Family' - the other F word that's mentioned a lot in this film - threading throughout the plot, tugging at the heartstrings in between the laughs and action.

It's a welcome return, and is a brutal, hysterical and sometimes emotional wild ride that is most certainly recommended!

For those that stay for the bonus credits scenes, there are two scenes in the mid credits, both worth staying for, especially the second, with nothing at the very end, unless you want to hear an orchestral choir sing "shitballs"!

Each year, the organization’s members vote on which stories they consider to be the best novel, novella, novelette, short story and Young Adult story in the genre, as well as the best outstanding dramatic presentation.

The Nebula Awards Ceremony was held from Thursday May 17 through Sunday May 20 at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center.

'Seasons Of Life: Birth / Life / Death / Afterlife'. 9" x 24" screen prints, on 100lb French Speckletone Kraft paper, including metallic gold ink, in signed, numbered and embossed AP editions of 100, available individually or as a set of 4.